Google Ads Tracking Template: Setup Guide with Examples
A Google Ads tracking template is a URL pattern that tells Google Ads how to record a click, separately from your final URL. At account, campaign and ad group level it must include {lpurl}, the parameter that inserts your final URL.
What is a tracking template in Google Ads?
A tracking template holds your click measurement details, while the final URL holds the page people land on. You can change tracking without changing the landing page. You can set a template at account, campaign, ad group or ad level, and the most specific level applies.
What does {lpurl} mean in a tracking template?
{lpurl} is a ValueTrack parameter that Google Ads replaces with the final URL of the ad. Google says account, campaign and ad group templates must include a parameter like this, or "your landing page URL will break".
Placement matters: per Google, the value is only left unescaped when {lpurl} is at the start of the template. Inside a parameter, as in a third-party tracker's URL, it arrives URL-encoded. Read Google's ValueTrack parameter reference.
What are some tracking template examples?
Example 1: no third-party tracker. The landing page URL plus your own parameter.
{lpurl}?matchtype={matchtype}
Example 2: a certified third-party tracker. The tracker reads the next hop from a visible parameter.
https://tracker.example/?force_transparent=true&redirection_url={lpurl}
Example 3: MRN Click Tracker.
https://mrntracker.com/go?camp_id=CMP-XXXXXX&force_transparent=true&redirection_url={lpurl}
Which ValueTrack parameters are most useful?
| Parameter | What it inserts |
|---|---|
{lpurl} | The final URL of the ad |
{gclid} | The Google click identifier |
{campaignid} | The campaign ID |
{adgroupid} | The ad group ID |
{keyword} | The matched keyword |
{matchtype} | The keyword match type |
{device} | The device type |
{network} | The network the click came from |
See the full list in Google Ads help.
How do I add a tracking template in Google Ads?
Choose the level
Use account or campaign level for one setup across many ads, and ad group or ad level for exceptions.
Open the URL options
At campaign level, open the campaign's settings and find the campaign URL options. At ad level, edit the ad and expand its URL options. Google Ads menus change over time, so the labels may differ slightly.
Paste the template
Enter the template, including {lpurl} or your tracker's format.
Select Test, then Save
The test should reach your final URL. Ads are re-reviewed after template changes.
Google's steps: set up tracking with ValueTrack parameters.
How does parallel tracking affect a tracking template?
With parallel tracking, people go straight to your final URL while the tracking URL runs in the background. This means slow trackers no longer delay the landing page.
- Google may replace {lpurl} in the background call with a substitute URL such as
https://google.com/asnc/..., so your page isn't loaded twice. The tracker should redirect to it as normal, and it returns HTTP 204. - Parameters your landing page needs must be in the final URL or final URL suffix.
- Background requests may not keep cookies, so don't rely on them for tracking.
Why is my tracking template failing?
- Click tracker - Unsupported: the tracker isn't certified. See how to fix an uncertified click tracker.
- Click tracker - Destination mismatch: the tracker goes somewhere other than the final URL. Use {lpurl} rather than a fixed destination.
- Test fails or the page breaks: check that the template includes {lpurl} exactly once and that the final URL works by itself.
Tracking Template FAQs
Quick answers about Google Ads tracking templates.
Does a tracking template need {lpurl}?
At account, campaign and ad group level, yes. Google says these templates must include a ValueTrack parameter that inserts your final URL, such as {lpurl}, or your landing page URL will break.
Where do I put UTM parameters?
Put landing page parameters such as UTMs in the final URL suffix or the final URL itself. With parallel tracking, they belong with the final URL, not in the tracking template.
Which tracking template level wins?
The most specific level wins: an ad-level template overrides ad group, which overrides campaign, which overrides account.
Can I use any click tracker in a tracking template?
No. Google only allows certified click trackers, and ads using others may be disapproved. Check Google's list of certified click trackers before you add one.
Need a certified click tracker?
MRN Click Tracker (mrntracker.com) is a Google-certified transparent click tracker by MRN Digital Services Private Limited, Gurugram.